Nitrate Reduction Options

[paul6294]

Hello,
 
This is not a cycling question, but just to let you know, I am new to fish keeping and am currently nearing the end of week 3 of my fishless cycle using ammonia, it’s going well so far, the ammonia has dropped from 3ppm to 0.25ppm and I have topped the ammonia level back up to 3ppm this morning.  So I’m getting excited about the rise in Nitrites (currently 0ppm) and the eventual purchasing of tank inhabitants.
 
Since the day I received my tank and API Master Test Kit, I have known that my tap water seems high in Nitrates (I live south of London and the water authority test samples I have found online say that Nitrates will are as follows:
 
Minimum 23, Average 29, Maximum 37
 
However, when testing the water taken directly from the tap, they seem to be more in the region of 50+…  it seems that whether this will affect the fish or not is debatable, either way, I would like to try to reduce it and do so by not using chemicals.
 
I have read a fair amount online about this, have done what has been suggested, bashed the API bottles on the table until I thought they would break and shaken them until I thought my arm may fall off, however, the Nitrate readings are still high.  From what I understand, planting the tank will reduce the Nitrates to some degree however it seems that this will only be by a small amount (I do plan to plant the tank however not heavily once it’s cycled, this may be the wrong way around but it’s how it is, I have a CO2 system that is not running but will be when it’s planted).
 
So, how to reduce the Nitrates?
 
Use RO water either bought or that I make myself, I have thought of this however would prefer not to have to do this. 
 
Use a system that reduces it right out of the tap, such as the Pozzani Nitrate Remover:  www.pozzani.co.uk/water-treatment-250/water-filters-185/product_info.html  which is a possibility.
 
Or ask for advice on this issue, which I am doing now.  If anyone has any options or comments about what I can do please let me know?
 
Also, I have read that Protein Skimmers remove organic compounds, would this be an option for reducing the Nitrate levels?  Of course, this would mean when I do water changes the Nitrates would increase instead of decrease, but then would the skimmer reduce it and if so would this happen quickly?  Something like this:  http/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/hang-on-protein-skimmer-dg2516.html
 
I have a 125 Litre Fluval tank with an Eheim Professional 3 filter running at full tilt.  The reason I selected this filter is because of the great reviews I read about it, however also that it is extremely quiet in its operation, so, as a result, I would not like to introduce anything that will make the noise levels increase.  If a Protein Skimmer is the answer, are these noisy?  Do they have to hang on to the tank like that or is there an option to have it inside the cabinet underneath the tank?
 
Thanks,
Paul

 

[ech0o]

plants will do a substantial amount if you had enough of them.   i have a well planted nano tank that tests negligible amounts of nitrates, i would ballpark just enough to barely register on a test, less than 1 ppm.  there are also advanced filter media products like seachem de-nitrate, which are similar to zeolite granules, and will absorb nitrates.   they will eventually fill up and not be able to absorb anymore nitrogenous waste, although with seachems de-nitrate, you then have denitrifying bacteria that colonizes the granules and if run in a seperate filter with very low flow (~60gph) it will actually convert nitrates into gas form and gas them out of your tank.   not sure if this would be effective for such large amounts of nitrate, your levels are quite extreme coming from the tap, but it could be option.   plants would for sure be my first go to, i'd start sticking in a bunch of fast growers.

 

[paul6294]

So I just read that Protein Skimmers will not remove the Nitrates, which makes sense now, so I still need some kind of information regarding what I should do about the level of Nitrates in the tap water, thanks, Paul

ech0o - thanks for the information, can you advise me of a few good fast growing plants that I should take a look at please?  As I said, I don't plan to plant heavily however will give some plants a go and see what happens.  Also, should I wait until my fishless cycle has completed prior to planting or just go for it now (as in, planting will not have any bad effect on the good that is currently going on)?